Volume 1, Chapter 7: Pip begins to go to school, and meets a girl Biddy. He is practicing his letters one night on a slate at home when he and Mr. Joe agree to learn to read and write together. Mrs. Joe is out helping Uncle Pumblechook buy his groceries because it was market day and when she arrives home with him later, she had exciting news. Uncle Pumblechook was a tenant of a wealthy woman named Miss Havisham. While bringing up his rent she mentioned how she needed young boy to come play at her house. Mr. Pumblechook tells her of Pip, and so they agreed that he would go up and play there the next day. Mrs. Joe gives him a thorough bath, and Pip drives home to stay that evening at Uncle Pumblechook's house.
Volume 1, Chapter 8: The next day Pip arrives with Mr. Pumblechook at Miss Havisham's house. Estella, Miss Havisham's beautiful niece who is around Pip's age, meets them at the gate. Mr. Pumblechook is turned away at the gate. Pip meets the eccentric Miss Havisham and she tells Pip to play. Finally Pip and Estella play cards and Pip is made aware how common and ignorant he is. Estella tries her best to make Pip cry, and when Miss Havisham says he can leave, with orders to come back in six days, he goes into the garden and cries against the wall. This chapter begins to foreshadow the story of unrequited love that seems yet to come.
Volume 1, Chapter 9: Pip goes home and his sister physically forces him to tell everything that happened at Miss Havisham's house. Pip, not wanting to tell them about his day, lies to Mrs. Joe and Uncle Pumblechook. Later while in the forge, he tells Mr. Joe the real story and of his sadness that he is a commoner.
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